Chapter : The Whispers We Bury

The sun looked different that morning.

Brighter, warmer—like the world had finally exhaled after holding its breath for too long.

Leo’s laughter echoed through the courtyard as he chased bubbles Mira conjured with a wand she’d bought in Paris years ago. They floated above his head like fragile little dreams, catching the light and spinning it into rainbows.

Lucien stood beside me on the balcony, coffee untouched in his hand.

“It almost feels normal,” he murmured.

I leaned into him, the steady beat of his heart grounding me.

“Almost,” I echoed.

But normal was a word that didn’t belong to people like us.

Not...